Automatic swimming pool cleaners include components for driving the pool cleaners along the floor and sidewalls of a swimming pool, either in a random or deliberate manner. For example, conventional pressure side cleaners and suction cleaners often use hydraulic turbine assemblies as drive systems to drive one or more wheels. Robotic cleaners often include a motor or other mechanical system powered by an external power source to drive one or more wheels.
With respect to pressure side cleaners and suction cleaners, vacuum systems of the cleaners (e.g., to vacuum debris from the floor and sidewalls and deposit the debris into a debris bag or debris canister) are often integrated with the drive systems. As a result, changes occurring in the drive system, such as turning or reversing motion, can affect the vacuum system. In some conventional pool cleaners, vacuum systems are only capable of vacuuming debris during forward motion of the drive system.
With respect to robotic cleaners, scrubber assemblies are often used as wheels for driving the cleaners. The scrubber assemblies also provide assistance to the vacuum systems by agitating debris along the surfaces traveled by the cleaner to facilitate debris pick-up. These types of pool cleaners cannot operate without the scrubber assemblies present because they are an essential part of the driving systems.